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The Killing Vote: Overview, Cast, 5 Fun Facts & More

Overview of The Killing Vote

What if your vote could determine the fate of heinous criminals? ‘The Killing Vote’ is a 2023 revenge K-drama series that follows the story of Gaetal, a mysterious figure in a dog mask who carries justice against criminals through a mass voting system, and if the votes exceed 50%, he carries out the punishment.

Written by Jo Yoon-young and directed by Park Shin-woo, ‘The Killing Vote’ is based on a popular webtoon of the same Korean title serialised on Kakao Webtoon and KakaoPage.

kdramalive image of 'The Killing Vote'
Still from “The Killing Vote” (2023). Credit: Pinterest

Profile

  • Drama: The Killing Vote
  • Director: Park Shin-woo
  • Writer: Jo Yoon-young
  • Network: SBS TV
  • Episodes: 12
  • Release Date: August 10 – November 16, 2023
  • Language: Korean
  • Country: South Korea

Cast

  • Park Hae-jin as Kim Moo-chan
  • Park Sung-woong as Kwon Seok-joo
  • Lim Ji-yeon as Joo Hyeon

Supporting

  • Shin Jung-geun as Choi Jin-soo
  • Go Geon-han as Kim Jordan
  • Oh Ha-nee as Kang Yoon-ji
  • Kwon Do-hyung as Ban Sang-jae
  • Kim Yoo-mi as Min Ji-young
  • Kim Kwon as Lee Min-soo
  • Cha Rae-hyung as Park Chul-min
  • Choi Yu-hwa as Chae Do-hee
  • Kwon Ah-reum as Joo Min
  • Seo Young-joo as Kim Ji-hoon
  • Oh Ji-hye as Yang Hye-jin
  • Gong Do-eun as Hye-mi
  • Chae Ri-eun as Ji-young’s secretary
  • Ahn Young-hoon as Byun Woo-taek
  • Kim Jung-heon as Oh Jeong-ho
  • Jung Woong-in as Kang Seok-joo
  • Hong Jong-hyun as a mysterious man

Synopsis

Kwon Seok-joo (Park Sung-woong) is a famous legal scholar and the father of an eight-year-old girl.

kdramalive image of 'The Killing Vote'
Park Sung-woong as Kwon Seok-joo in “The Killing Vote” (2023). Credit: Pinterest

Kwon Seok-joo’s Past

Eight years ago, his daughter was murdered by his psychopathic neighbour, Lee Min-soo. Min-soo’s mother, Min Ji-young (Kim Yoo-mi), who is an assemblywoman, covered the crime, and Min-soo’s friend was framed for the murder, but he was also let off due to insufficient evidence. When Kwon Seok-joo came to know the truth, he murdered the boy and was sentenced to jail.

Eight years later, Min-soo works as a teacher. Seok-joo uses his network of people outside and inside the jail to start a voting system named ‘The Killing Vote’ to execute the result of the death penalty vote. Through this, all citizens over 18 years old receive a text message polling them on whether that person should receive the death penalty.

Years after the crime, Seok-joo finally gets his hands on the evidence that leads him towards Lee Min-soo. Seok-joo puts him up for the public vote, but the police save him at the last minute. However, when Min Ji-young tries to save her son, she accidentally ends up killing him in an accident.

Another character is introduced: Seok-joo’s adopted son, Kim Ji-hoon (Seo Young-joo), a high school student who lost his parents in an accident. After Min-soo’s demise, Seok-joo wishes to die through the vote itself, as his primary mission is done, but Ji-hoon reveals the entirety of his past to the public so that they can make an unbiased decision. Meanwhile, Min Ji-young makes Ji-hoon and Seok-joo her open targets with a grudge.

kdramalive image of 'The Killing Vote'
Seo Young-joo as Kim Ji-hoon in “The Killing Vote” (2023). Credit: Pinterest

What Happens to Seok-joo and Ji-hoon?

After Ji-hoon’s message to the public, most people refrain from voting, and some want the man to be pardoned for what he has done. Seok-joo eventually cancels the killing vote; however, he still wants to die.

Seok-joo intentionally creates false evidence to demonstrate that Ji-hoon and his grandmother, Yang Hye-jin (Oh Ji-hye), were compelled to participate in his plan.

Ji-Young receives a call from the police head and discovers that Moo-chan has gone to rescue Seok-Joo. Meanwhile, a group of people attack Ji-hoon. Seok-joo arrives to save him, but he receives a blow on his head, causing him to collapse. Ji-young arrives a bit late, as Ji-hoon dies from the attack. On the other hand, a police officer named Kim Moo-chan (Park Hae-jin) barges onto the scene, holding a gun, and he saves Seok-joo.

Is Seok-joo Alive? Who is the New Gaetal?

The attackers turned out to be the bullies from Joo Min’s school who aim for the money from the bounty placed on Ji-hoon. Joo-min (Kwon Ah-reum) is the youngest sister of police officer Joo Hyeon (Lim Ji-yeon). Everyone thinks that Seok-joo is responsible for Ji-hoon’s death, whereas Seok-joo is in a state of shock.

kdramalive image of 'The Killing Vote'
Lim Ji-yeon as Joo Hyeon in “The Killing Vote” (2023). Credit: Pinterest

Joo Hyeon blames him for dragging the poor little boy into this, and during Seok-joo and Joo Hyeon’s conversation, prison guard Chul-min arrives and targets Joo Hyeon. Amid the scuffle, both Seok-joo and Chul-min fall into the water, and the police declare them dead and conclude the investigation as the two main suspects are presumed dead.

While investigating, Kim Moo-chan discovers a loophole. He, along with the police team, breaks down Min Ji-young’s living room and finds blood stains. Moo-chan discovers that Ji-young bribed the journalist Chae Do-hee (Choi Yu-hwa) to forge evidence to aid in the murder of and arrest Ji-young for kidnapping the journalist.

kdramalive image of 'The Killing Vote'
Kwon Ah-reum as Joo Min in “The Killing Vote” (2023). Credit: Pinterest

Ending Explained

A year later, Ji-young is released from jail. She lost her life in prison; however, she has not changed her ways. She teams up with a hacker to get back her position as an Assemblywoman.

Seok-joo had made it clear that the killing vote is not revenge but punishment, and there was a need in society. Moo-chan starts following Seok-joo’s philosophy of punishing people who deserve punishment. He wears the dog mask at the end, indicating him to be the next Gaetal.

Theme

The residents determine the death penalty for criminals, and it will be executed by a mysterious figure. Justice is the prime focus of the story as the masked figure delivers executions according to the national death penalty vote. The exciting story is novel and thought-provoking, as the narrative technique of ‘kill by vote’ combines with an unidentified vigilante.

This interesting mix of thriller and mystery crafts a fascinating scenario that explores how everyday inequalities infiltrate the judicial system.

kdramalive image of 'The Killing Vote'
Still from “The Killing Vote” (2023). Credit: Pinterest

Awards

  • SBS Drama Awards 2023
    Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries Genre/Action Drama, Park Sung-woong
    Best Young Actor, Choi Hyun-jin
    Best New Actress, Kwon Ah-reum

Interesting Facts about The Killing Vote

  1. The drama is based on a popular webtoon written by Eom Se-yun, illustrated by Jung Yi-pum, and serialised on Kakao Webtoon and KakaoPage.
  2. There is a mysterious figure referred to as a dog mask or gaetal to provide punishment for criminals who are not tried by law.
  3. Each drama episode makes the audience tense with the thriller and mystery storyline.
  4. The drama surged to an average nationwide rating of 3.2 percent.
  5. In March 2023, Pan Entertainment announced that it had signed a supply contract worth $15.36 billion with Studio S for the production of the series.

FAQs

  1. Who are the writer and director of ‘The Killing Vote’?
    The drama is written by Jo Yoon-young and directed by Park Shin-woo.
  2. What is the genre of ‘The Killing Vote’?
    The drama falls into the hardboiled, thriller, and crime genre. 
  3. How many episodes are in ‘The Killing Vote’?
    The drama has concluded a successful 12-episode run.
  4. Is the K-drama ‘The Killing Vote’ worth watching?
    If you are a person who enjoys action and intrigue, a crime thriller about a masked vigilante who murders criminals based on the results of public opinion polls is a must-watch.
  5. What is the Instagram ID of Lim Ji-yeon?
    limjjy2 is the Instagram ID of Lim Ji-yeon.

 

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